atj may-june 2010 - appalachian trail conservancy
TRANSCRIPT
22 â a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 â 23
-mile
rsThe Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now has more than 11,280 reports
of hikes of the entire A.T. posted to its register of 2,000-milers.
This includes 633 reports, which were received since last yearâs listing.
Of those, 560 thru-hikers and section hikers completed the Trail in 2009.
h C o m p i l e d b y v o l u n t e e r G r e G S t o v e r h
â Graper,âKendraâ Pudgie Pieâ Graves,âLizâKlehmâ Hobbitâ Green,âDavidâ Green Liteâ Green,âstephenâ Mr. Green Tea
*â Green,âsuzanneâ Graceâ Griffith,âalanâ Thunderbirdâ Grimm,âDavidâ Chompâ Gruszewski,âtylerâ .2 (point-two)â Guild,âDavid
*â Gunther,âFredâ Hazard*â Haegele,âelizabethâ Rocketâ Hale,âterryâL.â Buffaloâ Hall,âarthurâ Blazerâ Hamilton,ârebeccaâ Squeegie
*â Hamlet,âanthonyâ Pyrofly*â Haney,âCarolâa.â Rockamimiâ Hankes,âBenjaminâ Gastankâ Hankes,ânathanâB.â B.B.
*â Hanlin,ânealâWalkerâ O.G. (Old Gear)*â Hardin,âKelâ George & Gracieâ Harlan,âstevenâr.â Fleegle
*â Harner,âDedeâ Skittles*â Hassler,âBradâ Hoosierâ Hawthorne,âshannonâ Short Bus
*â Haxby,âsaraâ Joker*â Headley,âtoddâ Frankenfootâ Heavner,âPatrickâ Windbreakeâ Hemberg,âmatthewâ MudD
*â Hennig,âChrisâ Feed Bag*â Henson,âmichaelâ Tabasco*â Herman,âDavidâ Turtle D
*â Herman,âmarrionâ Turtle M*â Hess,âjasonâC.â Two Lions*â Hewitt,âDavidâL.â Ironman*â Higgs,ârockyâ Skunk Apeâ Hill,âGregâ Baconâ Hill,âjimâ Wingo
*â Hitchcock,âCharlotteâr.â Eeyoreâ Holcomb,âjeanâ Calamity Jean
*â Holladay,âCoriâaliceâ Grommet*â Holland,âCarolynâ Soaringâ Holloway,âDanielâ Mr. Rightâ Horne,âBenjaminâ Sideshowâ Houston,âmichaelâWilsonâCoondogâ Howe,âKatieâ Wing Itâ Hrycik,âBenâ Camelâ Hubbard,âKeithâa.â Huck Finnâ Hunter,âChrisâ Hurley,âryanâKeaneâ Hitchâ Hutcheson,âsteveâ Tullyâ Irwin,âstevenâ Screamin Stevenâ jaanimagi,âerikâ Brown Cow
*â jackson,âmarthaâ Kiwi*â jackson,ârayâ Papa Kiwiâ james,ârebeccaârentzâ Cantelope
*â jardine,ârayâ Plain Olâ Rayâ jarsulic,âjamesâ Jim Dandyâ jeck,âjonâ One Shoe
*â jeffcoat,âericâ Tweak*â jobe,âKennethâL.â Slaglineâ johnson,âBryceâ Tarzan
2010*â Brown,âBruceâ Floaterâ santiago,âjosephâa.
2009â acimovic,âPhilâ Ninjaâ ackley,âDavidâ Stewballâ akery,âmatthewâjasonâ Speedstic
*â albritton,ârachelâ Katchup*â aldworth,âDonâ Cruiser*â allen,âmarkâP.â Bisonâ alley,âmattâ Snarky Snarkersonâ alloway,âaaronâHeathâAngry Hippie
*â almendinger,âronâ Loan Arrangerâ altice,âCharlesâaaronâ Dude on Couchâ anderson,âmichaelâ Gezzaâ anderson,âroxanneâ Top Shelfâ arabie,âanthonyâj.â Union Breakâ arensberg,âalexâ Splinterâ armstrong,âjamesâ James
*â arnold,âjeffreyâr.â Longhaulâ arnoldâjr.,âjackâ Wishboneâ arteaga,âmarceloâ Don Coolio
*â arterburn,âBradâ Ringmaster*â ashbacker,ârickâ Deer*â atwood,âWesâ Cy*â aue,âashleyâ Holdoutâ aydelette,âKarinâ Tumbleweed
*â Babarskas,âCraigâ Otterâ Baer,âjonathanâe.â Sneaksâ Baker,âKathyâ Honey Bee
*â Baker,ârichardâ Daredevil Dick*â Baker,ârobertâF.â Ball,âDavidâ Yukon Rasputon
*â Ball,âjaronâ Big Bearâ Ballard,âKimâ 2 lbs.â Basinger,ânicholasâ Rojoâ Baumgartner,âChristineââ â Rock Lobsterâ Beares,âerinâ Das Boot
*â Bevan,ârandyâ Handymanâ Biviano,ârobertâ Sunnuke
â Blackley,âshayâ Wanderâ Blackman,âtoddâ Sparkyâ Bloink,âjoshuaâ Natty Bumpo
*â Bowen,âstephanieâ Tinkerbell*â Boxall,âDavidâ Dave from Englandâ Brady,âmatthewâ â
â âOlderâ of the Brothers Rogueâ Brake,âjasonâ Limbo
*â Braunlich,âChristianâ Home Fryâ Breit,âjoshuaâ Stink
*â Brekke,âBruceâe.â Featherfootâ Brewer,âjaredâ Hoover
*â Bridges,âjuliaâmayerââ â Okefenokee Pokeyâ Briggs,âsallyâ T-Toeâ Brokaw,âjonesâm.â Bonesey
*â Brown,âGlennâs.â Yakâ Brown,âjordanâ Liquid
*â Brown,âtrevorâ T-Boneâ Brueck,âjohnâ Spicemanâ Brundage,âjonathanâ Moontower
*â Bufano,âPaulâ Boofâ Burge,âWillâ Billy Goat
*â Burger,âronâ Gray Beard Beaverâ Byrd,âjamesâW.â jaybird
*â Calder,âmaryâa.â Gofarâ Campbell,âCarolineâ Sancho Panzaâ Campbell,âChristopherâ Mosesâ Campbell,âjacobâ Pit Stop
*â Campbell,âtomâ Pac Man*â Carroll,âedwardâ Walky Talky*â Chaffee,âadamâ Black Toe*â Chamberlain,âDavidâ Goose*â Charlton,âjeremyâ Car Hop*â Christmann,âHeinzâ â
â Heinz the Walkerâ Church,âKyleâ Striderâ Clark,âelizabethâ Chewyâ Clark,ânathanâ Tekla
*â Clark,âWilliamâ Rootsâ Clohan,âGaryâ Canadaâ Collins,âjosephâ Sunday
*â Conlin,âjohnâ Gator*â Connelly,âBrianâHarrisonâ General
*â Corey,âDorothyâ Snowyâ Costanzo,âKellyâ Snugglesâ Costner,âstaceyâ Wishy-Washyâ Cotter,âZacharyâBursonâ Incognito
*â Cowdery,âeileenâ Jukeboxâ Crosby,âClayâ Chief Walt
*â Cuddihy,âryanâ Highlander*â Cutting,âLindaâL.â Nanigoatâ Czaka,âZoltan-Laszko
*â Daileader,ârichardâ DaâLeader of the Trailâ Dani,âLinoâ Icarusâ Dansky,âCalebâ Hill Raiser
*â Darr,âalexâ Postman*â Darr,âGregoryâj.â Toubabâ Dasek,ânickâ Daddy Longlegsâ Davila,âjorgeâ Bearbait
*â Davis,âBrettâa.â Poptartâ Davis,âCarsonâ Stuff Sackâ Davis,ânateâ Drunken Sailor
*â Davis,âterriâ Munchi*â Dawes,âChrisâ Tea Bagsâ Day,âericâ Brown Chickenâ Dearborn,âPeterâjosephâ Poo Bear
*â Delisle-mitchell,âDonnaâ Nature*â DeLuca,âmarcâ Spokesâ Dennison,âWilliamâH.â Firebugâ dePolo,âChrisâ Chance
*â DePriest,âsherriâelaineâ ââ Dreamcatcher
*â Dever,âChrisâ Daddy Goose*â DeVoe,âChadâ The Teacherâ Diehl,âKrisdinâ Thresholdâ Dillman,âashleyâ Pickle
*â Dixon,âGreyâ Greybearâ Doddo,âCrystalâBethâ â
â Birch & Fancy Pantsâ Dolci,âemilyâ Half Full
*â Doughty,âellieâ Lady Samanthaâ Douillard,âmikeâ Smileyâ Dow,âmikeâ TBDâ Down,âjacobâ Donât Panicâ Doyle,âjordanâ Boofer
*â Drew,âjannaâ Jabberwocky
â Driver,âmadisonâ Spoon*â Duckworth,âChrisâ Stuts*â Dunn,âalexanderâ Ruin*â Dunn,âPeterâ Stonebrownâ Dupont,âjohnâPaulâ Duckmanâ eanesâjr.,âBillyâC.â Memo
*â edwards,âtimâ Will*â edwards,âVickieâ Way*â eilers,âsueâ Getsupearlyâ ellison,âmarvinâ Hoosier Benâ emmons,ânathanielâ Gritty McDuffâ engels,âWadeâ Bushwacked
*â erskine,âamyâ Wagsâ eunâjung,âyoonâ MT Love
*â evans,ârichardâ Pacer*â Faassen,âGrahamâ MinneâSotaâ I.P.A.*â Facemire,âjonâ Pooh Bear*â Fair,âstephenâ Rugged Shark*â Fallis,âBruceâm.â Juice*â Fallis,âmarciaâ MommaLlamaâ Farrell,ânickâ UCOC
*â Fissel,ârobâ Foxtrot*â Flanagan,âDouglas*â Flanagan,âPeter*â Fleetwood,âCynthiaâ Ms. Musterâ Fletcher,âKevinâ Fletch
*â Floyd,âjohnâW.â SWCâ Foley,âDaveâ Dah Wah He
*â Foster,âjudithâ Novia*â Foxx,âDanâ DUBS*â Fraher,âIanâW.â WolfPackâ Francour,âBrittanyâ Dirty Messâ Francour,âKirstinât.â Too Klean
*â Freeman,âallenâ Monkeywrench*â Freifeld,âmargaretââ â Ultimate Flipflopperâ French,âKimberlyâa.â Petuniaâ French,âronaldâC.â Treehuggerâ Fromm,âmarkâ Country Runner
*â Frye,âDavidâtrevorâ Flying Scotsmanâ Gannon,âPatrickâ Kuru
*â Garren,âBillâ Baltimoreâ Gay,âBrandonâ Goof
*â Gay,âmaritâandersonâ Moonwalkerâ Gemmer,âandrewâ Fidgetâ Gerome,ânickyâ Hotsauce
*â Gilchrist,âandreaâ Willowâ Gilchrist,âerynâ Lightningâ Gips,ârachelâ Snorkelâ Given,âmadelynâK.ââ â Madelyn from Maine
*â Goad,âarlieâa.â Ace*â Goloub,âjanetâ Gomlak,âDavidâ Topofgothics
*â Gordon,âChrisâ Flash Gordonâ Gordon,âLouisâ Sweet Louâ Gornto,âWilliamâ Wanderlustâ Grabon,âjeffreyâ Unplugged
*â Graham,âmichaelâ Child of Fortuneâ Graper,âIanâ Mudslide
â johnson,âChrisâ Mr. Buffalo Man*â johnson,âCodyâ Gordon Bombayâ johnson,âsherriâ Bubbaâ johnson,âtordâm.ââ johnsonâIII,âDavid
*â johnston,âWendyâ Shimmyâ jones,ârolandâ Grizzly Jonesâ joseph,âjessicaâ Angry Beaver
*â Kapoor,âmayaâ Jungli*â Keenan,âtimâ Naneek*â Kelley,âralphâ Mountain Manâ Kelogg,âsamuelâ Spirit Fingers
*â Kelso,ârichâ Dioko*â Kiehn,âtinaâ Chunky*â Killian,âjohnâK.â Spin Masterâ Killion,âGrahamâ Kimmel,âDouglasâ The Phoenix
*â Kinder,ârussâ Trustyâ King,âedwardâr.â Shagbarkâ King,âelijahâ Apacheâ King,âtylerâ Patches
*â Kinsella,âtomâ Lakota*â Klehm,âCarrieâ Knickers*â Kloehn,âjoshuaâ Motorâ Klotz,âDustinâ Spicoliâ Koski,âjessicaâ Peanutâ Kraft,âmatthewâ Lunch Box
*â Kressler,âKarelynâ Little Dipper*â Kuehn,âtoriâ t Sudsâ Kuehne,âjeffreyâe.â Phoenix
* We would like to express our appreciation for these 2,000-milers who have chosen to support the Appalachian Trail as Appalachian Trail Conservancy members (current as of April 1).
2,00
0
t r e vo r â SnaG Sâ pel l i n en a n d a n n i e m aC W i l l ia m S by â baCk ya r d b o o G i eâ
24 â a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 â 25
406G eo rG ia to m aine
(G a-m e) t hru - hik er S 68m aine to G eo rG ia
(m e- G a ) t hru - hik er S 45fl ip - flo pper S 111SeC t i o n hik er S
â stephenson,âDrewât.â Statesboro*â sterling,âPatriciaâ Double Shotâ stewart,âmathewâ Fin Lunch Ladyâ stiteler,âBrendanâ Don Quixote
*â storm,âLeslieâa.â More Sunshineâ strelbicki,âjoshuaâW.â Prairie Dog
*â stroud,ânealâ Gnarwhalâ stryffeler,âDianaâ Birdâ suhar,âjohnâ sullivan,âseanâP.â Trampolineâ sutton,âjacob
*â suydam,âHankâ Bunyan*â swaim,âZachâ Rocket*â swart,âjohnâ Zan Dawg*â swartz,âmichaelâ New Kneesâ tarpley,âBenâ Gentle Benâ taylor,âadamâH.â Magicâ taylorâIII,ârobertân.â In Deep
*â telford,âstevenâP.â Just Steveâ terrano,ârobertâ Boston
*â thomas,âandyâAndy from Baltimoreâ thomason,âLeviâ Bottom Bunkâ thompson,âBenâ Rusticus
*â thompson,âGaryâ Happy*â thompson,âjeffâ Penn - Jâ thundershield,âtrevorâ Hatchet
*â toledo,âLenâ Amanteâ tomlin,âBlakeâa.â Spiderâ tretter,âmeganâ Ferdyâ truitt,âBrianâ Professorâ tsuboi,ânatuskiâ M I J
*â tulip,âjoanneâm.â Tulipâ tumidalsky,âjosephâr.â Blueâ tunstall,âGregâ Detour
*â turner,âGeraldâW.â Kanati*â tyson,âChrisâ Ameroâ underwood,âemilyâs. Chocolate Chipmunk
*â Valvanis,âKristinâ Sled Dog*â vanâDijk,âDanielâ Blu Ray*â VanâDyke,ârobertât.â Waterboyâ Vandetteâjr.,âjosephâm.â Hot Chocolateâ Vickery,âstephenâa.â Veggie Steveâ Villanueva,âandreaâ Mocking Birdâ Villanueva,âjessicaâ Humming Bird
*â Voris,âjenniferâ Billyhootâ Wachs,âjasonâ Steamâ Wade,âDanâ WD-40
*â Waggott,ârichardâ Sir Richardâ Walker,âChrisâ Odinâ Walker,âDonâ Allgoodâ Wallington-smith,âGeorgeâ Wallyâ Walls,âjimâ Vista Jimâ Walsh,âChadâ McBride
*â Ward,âConnieâL.â Tag-along*â Ward,âDaneâ Tagless*â Warren,âBenjaminâ Primitive*â Weick,âBethannâ Beth*â Weick,âmariaâ Maria
â Weisbrod,âsamuelâ Buckeyeâ Weldon,âBryanâ Brewer
*â Wells,âjackâ Two Weeksâ WestâIII,âjamesâL.â G Fog
*â Wetherbee,âPatâ Saint*â Wetherbee,âsarahâj.â Wind Upâ Wetherby,âBenjaminâ Hatchet
*â Wheeler,âKarlâ Desert Foxâ WigginsâIV,âjohnâL.â Space CowboyWilke,âarthurâ Croc Star
*â Wilkins,âmelindaâ Many Names*â Williams,âHarveyâ Jolly Rancherâ Williams,âLeighâanneâ Denaliâ Williamson,âaaronâ The Kidâ Williamson,âjohnâW.â No $â Willson,ânathanielâ Chertâ Willson,âshawnâ Grizzly Adamsâ Wilmot,âmichaelâ Nordic
*â Wise,âamandaâ Truckinââ Wolford,âBrianâ Col. Mustardâ Wood,âjonathanâ Slick Wood
*â Wood,âmatthewât.â Wright,âBradâ Pusher
*â yannuzzi,âjasonâ Sailor J*â Zaccaro,âjustinâ Tankâ Zapp,âjaroslavâ Walkabout
*â Zhan,âLijunâ Highway Manâ Zirkle,âjonâ Birches
*â Zuk,âmaryâ White Eagleâ Zurbellen,âCodyâ C-Zur
*â Zuroff,âC.âPeterâ Alf
2008*â Bartkus,âarunasâ Ariusâ Buckhanan,âmattâ Buck
*â Carbonell,ârickâj.â BearWalkerâ Carter,âjasonâ New York Minuteâ Cheslak,âsamuelât.â Leftfieldâ Cummins,âLaneâ Dieselâ Dusenbury,âemmaâ NoAmpâ ellis,âDavidâ Big Brownâ Farahan,âDanielâ Chewbacaâ Foster,âryanâL.â Indian Summerâ Geymann,âtylerâ Mudbug
*â Hafner,âDavidâa.â Thorny*â Halliday,âagathaâ Moonshadow*â Harris,âtylerâ Skuterâ Hart,âCaryâ Bordersâ Hodges,âKevinâ Kbomb
*â johnstonâjr.,âCharlesâW.â Free Will*â Kenealy,âDeborahâ Spideyâ Lampas,âjamesâ Six-Toeâ Lampas,âmaryâ Fjordâ mcGee,âjr.,âmarkâallenâ Crush
*â mcnulty,âjamesâW.â Dozerâ miller,âKirkâ Kirk or AYCE
*â newsome,âDavidâ Java Man*â newsome,âjaneâ Tea Sipâ Perrett,âBenjaminâ Daisy
â rolax,âLanceâ 4 X 4â ross,âjudithâe.â Sweet Sixteen
*â ruddell,âevanâ Straight Jacketâ ruggiero,âDanielâ Hi-Câ runnels,âjessicaâ Yogiâ russell,âChristopherâ Hard Core
*â ryan,âBradleyâsebastianâ ââ Hellbender
*â ryan,âtomâ Tumbleweed Bagins*â sands,âBenjaminâa.â Catfishâ santa,âstephenâ Spliceâ sarfas,âedwardâ Keaâ schipp,âscottâ Scooner
*â schley,âWilliamâe.â Tailwind*â schmidt,âCharlesâ Sarge*â schmidtâjr.,âWesleyâ Broncoâ schoell,âDavidâmarkâ Hawkeye
*â schoen,âtravisâ Curseâ scott,âryanâ Beauregard Shagnastyâ seese,âscottâ Left Toe
*â seibel,âamandaâ Egg*â seibel,âBobâ Buffoonâ self,âDarrenâ Jukebox Heroâ serre,âDorianâ Frenchies Blah-Blah
*â shafer,âBlakeâB.â Lilâ Wayne*â shafer,âedwinââWinââ Birdmanâ shahidi,ânimaâ Linus Cloudbusterâ sharp,âDustinâ Bulletâ shaw,ârobertâC.â Tumbleweedâ sheaffer,âChristopherâ Mr. Freeze
*â shouse,âCathyâ No Nailsâ simons,âjamesâm.â Otter
*â sims,âjamesâs.â Purist*â singh,âKabirâDavidâHarricharanââ â Hummus
*â skinner,âColinâ PIâ slade,âjr.,âBillâ The Billsâ slaughter,âtraceyâ Pokey
*â smalley,âjaneâ Big Sisâ smalley,âLaurenâ Double Visionâ smith,âDustinâs.â Dusty Bottomâ smith,âedwardââ â (one of) The Smith Brothersâ smith,âjacobâ Toothpickâ smith,âmichaelâs.ââ â (one of) The Smith Brothersâ smith,âmikeâ Ironwoodâ smith,ârobertât.ââ â (one of) The Smith Brothersâ smith,âseanâstephenâ Safariâ smith,âtalithaâ Crazy Ladyâ sneider,âDavidâ Oddjobâ snowden,ârobertâe.â Lost Robâ snyder,âalexâ Spice Rack
*â spanogle,âsteveâ Spreadsheetâ spencer,âGabrielleâ Solar System
*â splittgerber,ârobertâ Padre*â stacy,âClarkâ Bonesâ stanforth,âWesâ Panama Red
*â stegman,âtedâ Carolina
â mangiardi,âIanâ Dusty *â manning,âLeeâj.â One Stepâ maron,âsamâ Samwiseâ mars,âDavidâ Sky Kingâ martel,âjocelynâ Frenchieâ martin,âanneâmarieâ Hardcoreâ martin,ânevenaâ Gangstaâ martin,ârobertâ Big Tunaâ martineau,âstephanieâ Lucky Starâ mason,âKimâ New Dayâ mast,âGeraldâ Freebird
*â mauer,âjonathanâ Blacklistâ mazzone,âLukeâ mazzone,âmatthewâe.â mcCann,âWhitneyâ Stickcakeâ mcClish,âChuckâ Bugmanâ mcCollum,âmikeâ Steamboat
*â mcCombie,âjohnâ Wis-peeâ mcDonald,ârebekahâ Bound
*â mcLemore,âsamuelâa.â Poncho*â mcnair,âstephenâ Big Tuna*â mcPherson,âDouglasâ Ramble On
*â mcPherson,âDwightâ Rookie*â mcQueen,âDanâ Tidanium*â mcroberts,âericâ Rolling Stoneâ meserve,âjonathanâ Tuts
*â meservey,âronaldâ R.B.*â metroka,âChrisâ Firebuilder*â miller,âalexâ Padre*â miller,âDuaneâ Longgun 5â miller,âLorettaâ Lilâ Dipperâ miller,âmathewâ Hermes
*â millis,Billâ Doc*â mitchell,âamandaâ Plunger*â mitchell,âPrestonâLeeâ Bojanglesâ moor,ârobertâ Spacemanâ moore,âKarenâ Loonâ moran,âDanielâ Stickcake
*â morley,âKimberlyâ Couscous*â moulton,âDennisâm.â Y-Knot*â mounce,âabeâ 12-Pack*â mudry,âLindaâ Katydid*â mullee,âalecâ Sunnyâ murphy,âmaryâC.â â
â Penny Whistle the Dueller
*â myers,âjamesâj.â Rangerâ myers,âmaryâ Grommet
*â myers,ârussellâ Fishermanâs Friendâ naone,âGwendolynâ Cyborgâ nedde,âDonnaâTenacious Turtle (T.T.)
*â nickle,âGabrielâ Skipâ nora,âPatriceâ Stormâ norton,âByronâ TNTâ nowakowski,âmalgosiaâ Lake 2 Lakeâ nowakowski,âtomaszâ Manynames
*â olson,âBobâ Big Bobâ oâshaughnessy,âericâ First Dateâ osner,ânoahâ Honey-Doâ oster,âIanâ Laid Back
*â Pacek,âWendyâ Tiger Bomb*â Palmer,âadamâj.â Topo*â Palmer,ârobertâ Methane*â Papp,âmichaelâ Rock*â Parkinson,âPamâ Burly Girl*â Parkinson,âthomasâ Bugsyâ Parrott,âPhilipâm.â Gritsâ Pasini,âjoeâ Patey,ânicholasâG.â Docâ Pattison,âGregâ Early Bearâ Paulding,âaliceâ Snooze
*â Paulson,âKatelynâ Lupineâ Peacock,âCoreliaâ Gaia
*â Pegram,âtimâW.â Footnoteâ Perdue,âGregâ Poseidonâ Pesek,âChesleyâ Dance Partyâ Peterson,âCarlâmichaelâ Sawmanâ Pettingill,âtimâ Cargo Pocketsâ Pettit,ânathanielâ Elroy
*â Phillips,âjohnâB.â Low Clearance*â Phillips,âjohnâm.â Wizard*â Phillips,âtrudyâ Blueberryâ Phoebus,âBetsiâ Firecracker
*â Piccone,âstefanâ Big Fishâ Pickard,ârichardâ Titeloopsâ Pinion,âDustinâ Myco Poloâ Poncet,âVirginieâFrenchies Blah-Blah
*â Pouss,âmatthewâa.â Tigerâ Price,âmichaelâ Lumpy
*â Pugh,âmichelleâ Cricketâ Putnam,âWilliamâ Giddy-Up
*â rahaim,âsarahâFenderâ O.Roseâ rathbun,âeric
*â redding,âerinâ Little Treeâ reighart,âstephanieâ Evergreen
*â reinhart,âmartinâ Wildcatâ relyea,âPeterâ ACEâ renne,ârachelâr.â Racheopodâ reynolds,âChaseâ Feels Like Todayâ rice,âadamâ Blondieâ richardson,âBenjaminâBarronâ â
â Missionâ rightor,âericâ Ahab
*â robertson,âDannyâ Stretchâ robinson,âWillâ Choo Chooâ rodriguez,âLuisâ Freeze
â Pipes,âmattâ Chipâ Powers,âKrisâ Scoutâ Quimby,âBradleyâ Shitty Forecast
*â renninger,âWarrenâ Lakeâ roberson,ânikkiâ Flopâ rollins,âsteveâ Flipâ rooks,âBethanyâ Naps
*â rowat,âr.âWinonaââ â ânonaâ from nowhereâ simons,âGregoryâ Gregâ stewart,âsamuelâ The Highlander
*â Walden,âjeffâ Mercury*â Walker,âChristopherâ Kitâ Wimberley,âmichaelâEmergency Shit
2007â Barczynski,âHoshaiahâ Briskâ Conroy,âPatrickâ Hold On
*â Forsman,âroderickââ â Chronic Fatigue Syndromeâ Getter,âBonnieâ Diamond / Diamo
*â Grembi,âjessicaâ Ladyâ Groman,âandrewâ Juiceâ mcDaris,âmichaelâ Movin on
*â nickerson,âBlaineâ Blueâ Pigeon,âCarieâ Scuffles
*â rohr,âadamâ Larryâ solinsky,âChrisâ Spartanâ Williams,âBradyâ Tater
2006 *â Brothers,âjimâ Running Bear*â Kanoy,âGaryâ Bucky*â Latkovski,âChristopherâ E.T.
â oâHara,âmichaelât.â Bonesawâ Pardi,âFrankâ Raelâ shy,âericâC.â Treefingers
2005â Gregor,âseanâ Rest Stopâ silver,âjohnâ Historyâ tamplin,âsadieâ Goldfish
2004*â segel-moss,âadamâ Cliff Dancer
2003â Dabal,ârichardâP.â Lost-n-Found
*â Gabrielsen,ârobertâ Sir-Packs-A lotâ shaklan,âPaulâ Junkie
1999â Pedersen,âLarryâ Pocono Professor
1995â Byrd,âjamesâW.â jaybirdâ
1993â Byrd,âjamesâW.â jaybird
1976â youndt,âDean
1974*â Whitehill,âLynnâ
1972*â Porter,âjoeâ
â Kurzban,âClaireâ Memere*â Kviatkofsky,ânickâ Tex Redwood*â Kviatkofsky,âsara*â LaâCoss,âronâ Birdâ Lambiasi,âanthonyâr.â Masonâ Landgren,âjeffreyâ Karjonâ Lane,âLarryâ Rockskarâ Larsen,âjoshuaâ Porkchopâ Laub,âandrewâ Camelâ Lawrence,âryanâthomasâ Oxâ Lawson,âanitaâ Lightweightâ Lawson,âIanâ Mr. Ed
*â Leachman,âCortneyâ Berry*â Leachman,âjoelâ Barkâ Leatherman,âmarciaâG.ââ â Mossy Brownâ LeDoux,âChrisâ Duckyâ Lee,âHarrisonâ Indy
*â Lee,âjonathanâm.â Leeman,âsamuelâ Stud the Dud
*â Leichnetz,âsarahâ Tufted Titmouse*â Lemay,âmichaelâ Jeremiah Johnson
â Lemieuxâjr.,âPaulâD.â Blessed*â Leon,ârobertâ Maya Guezâ Lesmerises,âWilliamâ Crashâ Lewis,âandrewâ Zombie
*â Liles,âjoeâ Braid*â Lippe,ârobertâ Chiliâ Littman,âDoriâ Outloudâ Litwiller,âmeganâ Nutmeg
*â Look,âelizabethâa.â Lydon,âjosephâC.â Indiana Toadâ LynchâIV,âthomasâa.K.â Leonâ Lynsky,âabinaâa.â K Barâ macDade,âLaurenâ Bob-bonâ macDonald,âFarenâ Castle
*â mackey,âstephenâ Legsâ macnab,ârobertâ Chinese Touristâ maguire,âChristopherâ Maineacâ maguireâII,âjohnâPhillipâ Corporateâ makerâIV,âarchieâD.â Scarecrow
*â maliszeski,âsteveâ Big boots*â malkemes,âKenâ Never Got One*â maner,âmichaelâLakeâ Sharp Tooth*â manger,âDavidâ Fat Kid
A fellow thru-hiker once wrote,
Iâm never going to forget, or fail to appreciate things like ânew sock day.â I think that pretty much sums it up. k a r i n â t um b l e W eed â ay d el e t t e G a-m e 20 0 9
633 h ik er Sâ fo ur S t y le S o f t r ail Com ple t i o n:
m i Ch el e âCr i Ck e t â pu G h
a .t. j o u r n e ys m ayâj u n e 2010 47
A s I s e e I t
I first heard of the Appalachian Trail in my early teens. My younger cousin Ryan, talked about the Trail and his dreams of hiking it one day. I remember thinking, âsounds neat, maybe Iâd like to do that too.â Time went on
and I had long forgotten about the A.T. until I was 15 years old and went on my first official back-packing trip in Joyce Kilmer Wilderness, North Carolina. I was in love, and the thought of one day thru-hiking the Trail resurfaced. The dream contin-ued to linger in the back of my mind as I made my way through the mandatory process of high school and col-lege. I would announce on oc-casion that I would one day like to hike the A.T., but had no idea when or how to tackle the plan-ning of undergoing such a huge expedition.
It wasnât until the summer of 2006, that my dream of at-tempting a thru-hike began to manifest into a possible reality. I was in my first year of graduate school. I had been working since I was fifteen and had done little for myself over the years. I was fo-cused on work and school, barely keeping my head above water. Although I wanted a career, I also de-served to do something for myself before joining the work force. After some deep contemplation and conversations with friends I decided that after graduation, I would attempt to thru-hike the Ap-palachian Trail.
Why a thru-hike? Because I wanted to. There was something inside of me screaming to get out. The answer seemed simple and un-gratifying to most who asked me why. Others just thought I was crazy. A thru-hiker once stated that the desire to hike the A.T. is something that you can feel deep within yourself, but cannot find the words to express. I could not agree more.
From March to September, 2009, I lived out my dream. When I returned, the question on everyoneâs mind was âhow was your thru-hike?â How in the world do you sum up a 2,179 mile thru-hike from Georgia to Maine? Donât get me wrong, I love that my friends, family, and even complete strangers, are
totally enamored by my experience and want to know more. But how do you even begin talking about the last 6 1/2 months of your life? I hiked. I hiked through sun, rain, snow and mud, with biting bugs, with pain, during the day, and at night. I just hiked. Yet I know that my thru-hike was much more than putting on my pack everyday and moving forward. I still have yet to comprehend what I really did.
So how do I answer this question? âIncredibly life-changing.â Before leaving on my hike I had a list of goals I wanted to achieve; getting fit, becoming
more spiritual, and becoming more confident. The list went on. I admit that I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Still, I knew I had the drive and
passion to stand on top of Katahdin in the end. Did I achieve what was on my list? In many ways, yes, but more importantly I believe that I gained what I needed from my hike. This experience provided me the opportunity to wake up to things in my life that I had either been asleep to or too emotionally weak to let go of. I will never look at the world the same, nor will I ever view myself the same.
I chose to get real with myself. Itâs easy to be hon-est with others, but not as easy to be honest with yourself. I began to appreciate the truth and felt empowered to change. I have spent much of my life striving to meet the expectations and desires of oth-ers and have almost always put myself at the bottom of the list. I blame no one but myself. This has been a clear pattern throughout my life, and even through-out much of my hike. It took nearly 1,800 miles for me to wake up to the reality of my actions, but I woke up. I got real. I have no regrets. My hike was meant to be what it was meant to be for me. My hike was life-changing.
Rachel âKatchupâ Albritton lives in Lenoir, North Carolina.
"A thru-hiker once stated that the desire to hike the A.T. is something that you can feel deep within yourself, but cannot find the words to express."
âAs I See Itâ is a monthly column from guest contributors representing the full range of ATC partners, members and volunteers.
To submit a column for consideration, please email [email protected] or write to Editor/As I See It, Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, P.O. Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.
a .t. j o u r n e ys m ayâj u n e 2010 1312 a .t. j o u r n e ys m ayâj u n e 2010
The American black bear,
ancient denizen of the
primeval Appalachian forest,
is reclusive and rarely seen.
However, wildlife manag-
ers report that both
its numbers and range
appear to be increas-
ing along the Appala-
chian Mountains.
Black BearNeighborhood
B y B o B P r o u d m a n
a n d S u S a n d a n i e l S
14 â a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 â 15
ranging over almost 60 square miles of habitat. This underscores the need to secure wildlife corridors as part of broader environmental goals. In fact, the Appalachian Trail, augmented by the many state and federal forests, parks, and game reserves along its length, may be an important travel corridor for the American black bear and other wildlife. Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) director of conservation Laura Belleville has worked with Dr. Bill McShea of the Smithsonian Institute to survey wildlife along the A.T. in the mid-Atlantic area. This survey work has helped us to understand where wildlife species, including black bears, occur along the Trail in this region. Surveys such as this one, as well as studies to better understand landscape dynamics, will help A.T. managers enhance corridor protection for migrating fauna and f lora. Recently, A.T. MEGA-Transect scientists have been engaged in developing a decision support system for managing Trail lands.
Nancy Bell with the Conservation Fund (TCF) has worked with ATC and state officials in Vermont and New Hampshire to identify and conserve black-bear travel corridors through the Green Mountains from southern Vermont to Killington and eastward. And, more recently, TCF and others working on the Mahoosuc Initiative, have been instrumental in con-necting the Mahoosuc Range with the White Moun-tain National Forest boundary near the Rattle River, where black bears have been observed swimming across the Androscoggin River. At its best, the A.T. enables a symbiotic relationship â it protects and provides vital thoroughfares for the wildlife that make it their home, which in turn enriches the Trail experience for hikers.
But at its worst, human-bear problems may grow acute where both populations are on the increase, where people have moved into prime bear habitat at the âwildland interface,â or where bear habitat im-proves as former farms revert to forest, old orchards become overgrown but still produce fruit, or (more problematic) where exurban and suburban homes have unprotected outdoor trash cans, bird feeders, and pet food. One such area along the A.T. is New Jersey, one of our nationâs most densely populated states. There â in the northwestern corner, where it borders Pennsylvania and New York, and the A.T. follows both statesâ borders â one finds rich natural black bear habitat augmented by suburban foraging opportunities. New Jersey wildlife managers report that bear populations are spreading, with bear sight-ings, road kills, and population growth now occur-ring further east and south in the Garden State.
In December, New Jersey will hold its first black-bear hunt in six years, a controversial decision despite nuisance bears invading residentsâ garbage and bird feeders, or worse, attacking pets, killing livestock,
and causing significant property damage at private homes or farms. The New Jersey Fish and Game Councilâs Draft Comprehensive Black Bear Manage-ment Policy, required as a result of a 2005 New Jersey Supreme Court decision, should help wildlife man-agers to proceed with an integrated management approach that includes hunting. Sadly, it appears too costly to rebuild the stateâs solid waste infrastructure to require bear-proofing trash collection facilities.
Is the American black bear dangerous? Compared to its cousins, the grizzly, brown bear, or polar bear, attacks on humans are extremely rare. In the eastern U.S., the black bear is a benign animal for the most part. However, there have been three reported kill-ings by black bears in the eastern U.S. in the past 10 years â two in Tennessee (in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest) and one in New York. In those attacks,
any A.T. hikers still consider a black bear sighting relatively rare, and a special treat. One thru-hiker recollected his Vermont sighting as his deepest spiritual experience, writing of his long walk many years later in the Tidewater A.T. Clubâs newsletter. Nonetheless, negative encounters along the Appala-chian Trail, particularly at shelters and campsites where hikers and others fail to follow good food-storage practices or leave garbage behind, may be on the increase.
Ed Reed, wildlife biologist for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, says that black bears naturally fear people and generally avoid human contact, even in park settings where encounters are likely. However, bears can become habituated to people and may grow to tolerate or ignore them. If people fail to follow good food-storage practices, this habituation can lead to the serious problem known by wildlife managers as a
âfood-conditioned bearââ one that associates hu-mans with acquiring food. The mother bear, or sow, teaches this behavior to its cubs and yearlings during their first year spent foraging together. Research in
the western U.S. has shown that a bear will become food conditioned if it is successful as few as two times in 50 attempts to obtain human food. A bear that successfully obtains food by aggressive behavior becomes more dangerous.
In the worst cases, a food-conditioned bear will begin daylight foraging for food at shelter and camp-ing areas. It may be hard to chase off. (Banging pots, yelling, and throwing rocks will generally discourage a bear from approaching.) It is difficult to change the behavior of a habituated bear, but land managers may use âaversive conditioning,â including firing on it with rubber slugs or bean bags. Bears may be captured, tagged, and tattooed for future tracking. If the problem bearâs behavior worsens, remediation requires moving the bear to another location or eu-thanizing it.
Although the natural diet of Ursus americanus is about 75 percent plant based â soft mast (berries, apples, and other fruits) or hard mast (nuts such as acorns, beech, or hickory nuts) â these highly adapt-able omnivores are biological âgeneralistsâ â they will claw through a tree for bee honey, rob squirrel, bird, and insectâs nests, prey on fawns, and eat car-rion. They are opportunistic feeders.
Black bears are strong, with sharp curved claws that make them excellent tree climbers. The males grow larger and wander farther than mature females,
american black bears have sharp, curved claws that make them excellent tree climbers. although their natural diet is about 75 percent plant based, black bears are highly adaptable omnivores and opportunistic feeders. Ph otos (Pr e v i o us Pag e a n d a b elow ) by va n h i l l .
new york biologists prepare to attach a GPS tracking collar to a black bear captured as part of a research study on bears and backcountry camping.co u r t e s y n e w yo r k s tat e d ePa r t m en t o f en v i r o n m en ta l co nser vat i o n
16 â a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010 â 17
dragged him in his sleeping bag before being chased off by other campers. That bear was later trapped and euthanized by state officials.
While there have been no serious injuries re-ported, there have been other incidents of concern on the Trail. In one, a day-hiker with a child in a carrier on her back was knocked down by a bear after the hikerâs dog confronted the bear. In another incident, a hiker sitting on his pack while eating a snack was knocked over by a bear, which then ran off with his gorp. Problems are most likely to occur where campers fail to follow Leave No Trace prac-tices, do not keep shelters, tents, and bedding free from food spills and smells, and do not store their food properly. Two A.T. shelters in Tennessee were closed for several weeks last summer due to bears attracted to trash and food left there. Persistent bears also were reported at shelters and overnight sites in North Carolina, Maryland, and Vermont. A.T. hik-ers have had packs dragged off by bears while they were taking down their tents or using a privy. In one instance, a hiker was awakened in his tent by a bear standing on him while it tried to reach the pack he had hung overhead. Bears that have learned to as-sociate packs and tents with food may go after such gear even if it does not contain food.
ATCâs Trail crews have not been immune. In the Smokies, the National Park Service provides an electrified bear fence around the Rocky Top crewâs food and cooking area, but on returning to the campsite after breakfast one day last year, they found a tent and some equipment destroyed. Also in 2009, four tents used by the SWEAT crew (which uses a bear in its logo) were destroyed by bears. In 2002, the mid-Atlantic crew van was damaged by a bear apparently trying to get at food that was stored inside.
A number of A.T. maintaining clubs have re-cently asked ATC for more comprehensive guidance to prevent or minimize negative bear encounters along the Trail, particularly at overnight sites. ATC and its state and federal wildlife management part-ners need to share findings and invest more effort to prevent future problems with black bear/hiker en-counters. Some clubs are installing food-storage systems, such as bear poles, food-storage cables, or
âbear boxes,â at their shelters to prevent bears from gaining access to hiker food. These are effective as long as they are used properly, but there have been some problems. Some cable systems at shelters have had problems with hanging cables becoming wrapped around the top cable or have been damaged by people, requiring club work trips to make repairs. Bear boxes have been used as trash receptacles. An enterprising raccoon that learned to climb the bear pole at one shelter had to be relocated.
How can hikers protect themselves, fellow hikers, and the bears whose home the Trail passes through?
n Pack food carefully to reduce spills and smells on your gear; launder tents and bags if necessary.
n Practice leave no Trace camping. Do not leave excess food behind. Pack out all trash. If you can, remove trash left behind by others.
n use food-storage devices properly. Do not place trash in privies or bear boxes.
n If there are no food-storage devices, hang food properly from a tree, at least 12 feet up and at least six feet from the tree trunk or substantial branches. Techniques for hanging packs and food bags can be researched on the Web.
n use bear bags or bear canisters. Ed Reed of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation reports that the required use of bear canisters for food storage in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, an area that previously had many bear/hiker problems, has achieved a 95 percent compliance rate among hikers and reduced black bear food-conditioning to near zero. Bear-resistant products can be found on the Web.
n do not cook near your tent or keep food in it.
n never deliberately feed a bear. In some locations, it is illegal even to feed them inadvertently. Feeding bears and storing food improperly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can result in fines of up to $5,000 and jail sentences lasting up to six months.
n never run from a bear. In the very unlikely event of an actual attack, fight back.
As visitors to the bruinâs neighborhood, we owe the black bear, superbly adapted to sniff out foodstuffs, better behavior. Our simple failure to put away the Oreo cookies may ultimately result in the death of a bear, or worse. Letâs clean up our acts.
the bears were acting in a predatory manner, not just attempting to get food from someone.
Black bear expert Steven Herrero believes that the combination of habituation, food conditioning, and rewarding aggressive behavior increases the chances of a bear causing serious injury to a person. In con-trast, Herrero believes that bears involved in human fatalities are more likely to be found âin rural or remote areas â where they have had relatively little association with people,â which he states in the book Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance.
Almost every year, reports come in of bears steal-ing food, damaging tents or packs, or being highly persistent and difficult to chase off at various shelters and campsites along the Trail. There have been two serious reported incidents at overnight sites. The first occurred in Pennsylvania in 2004, when a woman sleeping in a bivy sack at a campsite on state game lands suffered bruises after being dragged about 35 feet by a bear. In 2005, at a shelter in New Jersey, a bear grabbed a sleeping camper by the leg and
above: a tranquilized, male black bear has been fitted with ear tags and a GPS tracking collar after being caught in a culvert trap. The combination of habituation, food conditioning, and rewarding aggressive behavior can increase the chances of a bear causing serious injury to a person. co u r t e s y n e w yo r k s tat e d ePa r t m en t o f en v i r o n m en ta l co nser vat i o n
For more information visit:
www.appalachiantrail.org
www.edc.uri.edu/aTmT-dSS/default.html
www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw according to leave no Trace standards, bear bags should be hung properly from a tree, at least 12 feet off the ground.Ph oto co u r t e s y l e av e n o t r ace cen t er fo r o u t d o o r e t h i c s
Problems are most likely to occur where campers fail to follow Leave No Trace practices, do not keep shelters, tents, and bedding free from food spills and smells, and do not store their food properly.
a .t. j o u r n e ys m ayâj u n e 2010 31
The h a lf way point of the Appalachian Trail is rough-ly 45 miles south of Duncannon, Pennsylvania, near Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Itâs at the little general store in the park that northbound thru-hikers traditionally celebrate reaching the midpoint of their trek by consuming a half-gallon of ice cream.
If you sit on the porch of the store, though, and talk to those dairy gluttons, youâll soon learn that as much as they enjoy gorging on that carton of Rocky Road or Neapolitan, the cel-ebration most of them are really looking forward to will come a few days later when they reach the legendary Doyle Hotel.
Originally built by Adolphus Busch, the co-founder of the Anheuser Busch Brewing Company, the Doyle maintains its sudsy tradition, serving a solid variety of brews, including that unofficial, official beer of the A.T., Yuengling Lager, the choice of most hikers as they toast having passed the midpoint of their journey.
Since Pat and Vickey Kelly took the place over in 2001, the Doyle has also been known for Patâs fine cooking. Burgers as big as your head and plates of fresh cut fries piled nearly as high as nearby Cove Mountain are probably the most popular menu items with hikers, who make up more than 50 percent of the Doyleâs clientele; though beer and burgers are hardly all the place has to offer its walk-in crowds. The hotel offers a full menu of southern-influenced entrees, cheap rooms, hot showers, free internet service, and one of the best juke boxes you will find anywhere, filled with an eclectic mix of CDs handpicked by Pat
Haven at the Halfway Point
t e x t a n d P h o t o s
B y C h r i s a . C o u r o g e n
Left: An A.T. hiker is featured prominently on the Duncannon Community Mural, which was completed in 2004. More than 600 members of the community helped paint the mural, located on the side of a local house along the Trail.; Above: Doyle Hotel owners Pat and Vickey Kelly chat with thru-hiker Duane
âLong Gunâ Miller, as he signs the Doyleâs Trail registry during a beer break from his hike.
Kelly himself. Since taking over the Doyle, the Kellys have worked hard, both at their hotel and with other businesses in town, to make sure hikers can find what they require when they hit Duncannon.âWeâre like concierges,â says Vickey Kelly. âWe try to find out what the hikers need.â
That philosophy resulted in an arrangement with a local doctor who works hikers into her busy schedule when they need medical care, and a shuttle to the local supermarket, which carries a lot of hiker-friendly items.âPat will tell me what they are looking for and we try to get it in,â says Stan Mutzabaugh, of Mutzabaughâs Market, who agreed to run a shuttle for hikers looking to resupply after Pat and Vicky explained how danger-ous the one-mile road walk was from the hotel to his store.
Most hikers who spend a night in one of the Doyleâs 17 rooms start their day across the street at Goodies, an unpretentious
D U N C A N N O N
P E N N S Y L VA N I A
32 â a .t. â j o u r n e ysâ m ayâj u n eâ2010
little eatery that gets so much hiker traffic from mid-May through early July â the peak of thru-hiker season in Duncan-non â they actually have to hire extra seasonal help. âWe get pretty full with hikers. They go crazy over our pancakes,â says Katrina King, the ownerâs daughter, who credits Vickey Kelly with helping fuel the restaurantâs popularity with hikers by sending them across the street for breakfast.
Duncannon has a real appreciation for the hikers who pass through, says Fred Lauster, the former president of the boroughâs council who, in his role as chair of its parks and recreation committee, helps facilitate the annual Billville Hiker Feed and Feast, held each summer in the townâs community park.
Hikers camp for free on the parkâs baseball field, and hang out under the parkâs pavilion while stuffing themselves on a three-day feast served up under the watchful eye of Duncannon resident Mary Parry, better known to hikers as âTrailangel Mary.â âDuncannon is known as a hiker friendly town. We sort of cater to hikers,â says Lauster. âThe town takes pride in having a mile of the Appalachian Trail run right through Duncannon.â
âItâs a quiet town,â says King, âitâs probably the biggest thing of the year when the hikers come through.â
The appreciation is a two-way street. âThe people in Duncan-non really focus on the hikers,â says Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society, who walked through the town on his way from Springer to Katahdin in 1980. âIt is a great Trail town. The people are very welcoming.â Hikers will
tell you that attitude is what sets Duncannon apart from some other towns along the Trail.
âI love the town. Itâs so neat to walk through. As I hiked out of town, I passed kids on their way to school. They all waved and said hello,â said Harold âOver the Edgeâ Fred, a section hiker from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. âThe whole town re-ally loves hikers.â
Whatâs not to love? âThey are really friendly people,â says Mutzabaugh.âIt brightens my day when I am able to greet hik-ers and they stop to talk to me,â says Duncannon resident Daphne Cotton. âIt is an enjoyable experience to communicate with them.â Cotton says the hikers give her children a window on the world that is not commonly found in such a small, rural community. âThe kids like to hear about where they come from, where they are going. In a town this size, it helps; you realize the rest of the world is alive and well.â The A.T. is âpart of what this community is about,â said borough manager Tanuya Mat-ter. âItâs a part of the town.â âWe are proud of the relationship we have, being where we are on the Trail,â added Cotton. âThere is an attitude in town that we want to embrace them.â
Clockwise from right: The Trail, enters Duncannon from the south and runs right down Market Street; the Norfolk Southern Railroadâs main line runs along the Susquehanna River through Duncannon. From the river bank, northbound hikers can preview what is ahead; the public library, located in one of the townâs churches, welcomes hikers and offers free internet service, drinks, snacks, and supplies; âTrailangel Maryâ Parry points to her 1984 Dodge Diplomat âHikermobile.â Parry had hikers, who rode in her car, sign the unique Trail register on wheels. Though it was retired in March, the roof, trunk lid, and front hood will be part of the new A.T. Museumâs collection.